Joe Budden Podcast co-host Emanny has made it clear that he isn't a fan of the growing cultural embrace of streamer N3on.
Calling out what he sees as opportunism rooted in the streamer's alleged past behavior, the R&B singer addressed N3on's sudden wave of acceptance, particularly after his recent appearances alongside rappers and influencers.
"I'm starting to see a lot of people starting to embrace the streamer kid and I'm kinda like — it's like this little n***a has been on camera saying some real wack shit in the past," Emanny said on the latest episode of The JBP. "I get it, but what are you doing in Starlet's?"
Emanny went on to question whether the newfound embrace ignores years of problematic comments and the streamer's longtime distance from the very communities he's now eager to align himself with.
"I'm not saying he's not deserving of a pass, I just — I don't know," he continued. "For someone who went a large part of their upbringing trying to separate himself from the culture in that way, and I think he probably financially figured out it probably better suits him pocketwise to start aligning himself up with it, the way that he's being embraced is a little…"
The rest of the podcast crew helped Emanny acknowledge that N3on is only 21 years old and doesn't have a full grasp on being an adult yet. Emanny's comments come amid growing discourse around N3on's past racist remarks resurfacing at the same time as his profile has risen, especially within the hip-hop and nightlife circuit.
While some fans and creators see his recent content shift as growth, others echo Emanny's concerns that this is less about change and more about cashing in. N3on has yet to publicly respond to Emanny's critique.
The scrutiny around N3on intensified this week after the streamer went viral for all the wrong reasons.
N3on participated in a lie detector test featuring 6ix9ine, Adin Ross, Antonio Brown and BenDaDonnn. Things started light with Adin asking N3on simple questions. However, the mood shifted when BenDaDonnn asked: "Do you not like Black people?"
N3on initially answered, "I love 'em," but Adin reminded him that polygraph tests require strict yes-or-no responses. When the question was repeated, N3on said "Yes," and the examiner immediately flashed a huge thumbs-down, signaling the machine had detected a lie.
Panic set in as N3on yelled, "No! That looks so bad!" while everyone around him erupted in laughter. While the clip ignited a firestorm on social media, it's worth noting that polygraph tests are widely considered unreliable according to the American Psychological Association.